The Life
by inkheart9459
Summary: When she was younger Miranda thought she knew what her future would look like, but she was wrong. That future did not include having a lover half her age who was a woman and it definitely didn't have another female lover on top of that. But Miranda finds herself happy in her reality with Andrea, Cruella, and the twins even if it doesn't quite match what she thought up years ago.


This is for Mirandy Week Day 6 Content. Again with the thanks to Crazybecat and roseyruewritessometimes22 for the beta because sometimes I forget what English is while typing. Also, this is mirandy/cruella fic, so if that's not your thing these aren't the droids you're looking for.

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Miranda hummed and snuggled back down into the bed. It was early. The sun wasn't up yet, but the room was starting to lighten in the pre-dawn gloom. Someone shifted beside her, grabbing her by the waist and drawing her in, sighing against her neck. Miranda squeezed the hand on her waist, not opening her eyes just yet. A head tucked itself under her chin, hair tickling her face and neck. Miranda smoothed the hair down and yawned.

She was so very warm and comfortable. Sunday mornings were her favorite by far. Nowhere that she had to be, she could sleep in as long as she wanted, not that it was ever that late. Years of early mornings had trained into her the need to wake with the sun. But with the long amounts of freedom that Sunday brought she could spend a great deal of it with her family, once they woke up, anyway.

For now, she was content to remain where she was, buried under the weight of two people. No one else would be up for hours yet and she was happy to stay cuddled up for the time being. There was no better way to spend her time.

Andrea mumbled in her sleep, having one of her fantastical dreams again. Miranda caught the word dragons and mine before the woman settled back into a deeper sleep once more. Lips pressed against her neck followed by a low chuckle. Miranda pressed her lips to bicolored hair. Cruella was so much more manageable when she was asleep. Even with her propensity for mayhem, Miranda wouldn't give her up for the world. She would give neither of them up for the world.

She drifted for a long while, not quite awake and not quite asleep for a good while, basking in the warmth of her two lovers wrapped around her. She'd never tell either of them, but she rather enjoyed when it was her turn to sleep in the middle. Instead she complained about being confined, about being too hot, anything that came to mind. Andrea, she thought, was on to her deception. Cruella didn't care, she just rolled her eyes at Miranda and pinned her down to the bed, snuggling to her side and immediately falling asleep.

Miranda's eyes finally blinked open as the first rays of sun entered their bedroom. She wouldn't be able to find sleep again now that it was truly light out. As much as she was enjoying just laying between her two sleeping lovers, it was time to get up and start the day. Miranda looked between Andrea and Cruella, assessing which one would be the easiest to get past. Andrea, most assuredly. Cruella had a nasty habit of spreading her legs out over the entire bed if she could get the room. She unwrapped a various sundry of body parts for her before gently climbing over Andrea. The two still asleep only stirred a little bit, scooting towards the middle of the bed now that the heat was gone from beside them. Immediately they curled around the other and settled again. Miranda felt her heart swell looking down at the two of them, peaceful in sleep and so very beautiful. She stood and watched them sleep for a few minutes before setting off to get ready for the day.

She showered, enjoying the hot water cascading down her back, letting the showerhead massage any and all kinks out of her muscles. She sighed as she got out, towel drying before slipping into her favorite grey robe. She stroked the worn fabric thoughtfully as she started to style her hair for the day. Paris, as sharp a memory as it was, was both an end and a beginning, not that she had known it at the time, sitting in her suite in Paris in this exact robe. She wouldn't have believed that divorce would lead her to this even if someone had told her back then.

She smoothed on a light coating of makeup and walked from the bathroom and into the closet. Miranda scowled as yet again the place was mess. No matter how many times she lectured Cruella, she never managed to get it through her thick skull that organization was next to godliness. At least she did take care of couture as it should be, but shoes were mismatched and skirts were hanging where blouses should be and everything in-between. Miranda let it go for now. Their housekeeper would be in tomorrow and would reorganize everything how Miranda liked it. It wasn't worth the drama or effort for the time being.

A casual outfit of designer jeans and a blouse was pulled on, something only reserved for Sundays. When she was done she walked back into their room it was truly starting to brighten up. Andrea would be up within the hour, though Cruella wouldn't stir until the scent of coffee reached her. The girls similarly would wake up to the smell of food. Since Andrea had long ago claimed ownership of cooking Sunday breakfast Miranda smiled and walked from the room into her study. While the others slept she could do a bit of work so she wouldn't worry about it later. She grabbed her laptop and walked into the kitchen. She sat down on one of the barstools that lined one side of the kitchen island and set to work, answering a few emails.

As predicted she heard the sounds of stirring less than an hour later. The shower turned on after the sound of footsteps from above. The other woman walked into the kitchen thirty minutes later, wet hair braided down her back, leaving a wet spot at the tip of the braid. Andrea smiled at Miranda and walked over to kiss her. Miranda sighed into the kiss and allowed her arms to come around the other woman's waist.

Andrea pulled back after a minute, a little dazed smile on her face. "Good morning to you too." She laughed and stepped out of Miranda's embrace.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Mmm, of course. I always sleep well when you both are here."

Miranda nodded. She did as well of course. "Well, I believe Cruella has plans to stay indefinitely if her rather public announcement is anything to go by." The week before the woman, brash as always, had responded to rumors that she was sleeping with Andrea behind Miranda's back with the fact that she was sleeping with both of them. Immediately she had come to the townhouse for one of their dates and the paparazzi had showed up fifteen minutes later. A day after that Cruella had practically moved in, though for all intents and purposes she almost had been before. Two weeks had passed in a haze of picture hounds and waking up constantly surrounded by her lovers. Miranda, of course, couldn't quite decide how she felt about everything just yet. She supposed it would depend on how the rest of the news coverage about their relationship went, though, really, she couldn't begrudge being with Cruella and Andrea everyday even if they were truly nasty.

Andrea smiled again, brighter than the sun. "Yeah," she breathed out like she was giving thanks to the gods above. She shook her head just a bit. "What for breakfast today?"

Miranda just cocked an eyebrow.

"Right, ok, so spinach, tomato, and feta omelet for you, that's a given, but I meant for the rest of us who like ungodly amounts of food once a week."

"Well, I believe the twins were talking about your French toast earlier in the week."

The other woman nodded. "Right, right. We haven't had that in a while. Good idea." Andrea set right to preparing the meal, putting the coffee on first so Cruella might drag herself out of bed before the food got cold.

Miranda worked on the last of her emails while Andrea focused on the food. She found herself more than a little distracted by the movements of the other woman. An old college t-shirt and a pair of jeans old enough that Miranda wouldn't even allow the other woman to garden in them shouldn't be attractive, but god somehow Andrea made it work. Andrea smiled as she caught Miranda staring. Miranda glared back at the smile, but there was no real venom in the look and the woman laughed merrily before turning back to the food cooking on the stove.

Miranda finally finished up the last email and shut her computer just as the sound of heels sounded on the stairs. Andrea turned and smiled over Miranda's shoulder. Miranda glanced behind her to see a perfectly put together Cruella De Vil standing there with a smirk on her face. She walked across the room and kissed Andrea good morning before circling back around to kiss Miranda. Cruella, as always, took things a bit farther than a good morning kiss warranted. Miranda was infinitely glad that she had forgone lipstick for the morning.

Cruella stepped back and went to fix both her and Miranda a cup of coffee. She walked back over, balancing the almost overflowing cups effortlessly even while on five inch heels. She set Miranda's coffee down before taking a seat right beside her. Cruella reached out and took Miranda's free hand in her own, holding it as they both sipped their coffee and watched their other lover finish up the food.

"Do you think those vultures will still be outside, darling?" Cruella asked once an entire cup of coffee was in her system. She wasn't much for conversation before caffeine, unless the conversation consisted of hellacious shrieking.

"Of course. No one else even mildly famous has done anything more newsworthy than the Dragon Lady and the Devil herself shacking up with an impressionable young woman," Miranda deadpanned.

Cruella frowned. "How…unfortunate. The girls and I wanted to go to the park today. There's an art fair there later, but if those idiots will be following us around it might not be worth it." A wicked glint entered her eyes. "Or perhaps it's perfect."

"Cruella, don't get yourself arrested," Andy said, plating a heaping mess of French toast.

"More importantly don't get the girls involved." Miranda glared, putting the fullest force behind the look. It wouldn't affect Cruella, of course, since she was rather insane at points, but she'd be damned if she didn't try.

"Don't be ridiculous, darling, we won't do anything illegal. Besides, it's not like the police would take the side of the paparazzi, not against you or I." She waved off the concern as if it meant nothing at all.

Miranda resisted the urge to put her head in her hands. She just knew that later in the day mischief was going to happen and Cruella would be at the head of it, as was happening more and more. The twins had been overtaken as troublemakers extraordinaire, it seemed. The fact that it was grown woman replacing them was more than a little worrying, but she had known what she was getting into when she agreed to all of this.

"I do believe in the case of assault or murder it wouldn't matter who we were, dear."

Cruella sat back with an incredulous expression on her face. "Who said anything about assault or murder?"

"I never know with you."

Andrea snorted. "Come on, you two, call for the twins and help me carry all of this to the table."

Miranda stood, shoved a bowl of fruit salad into Cruella's hands and walked up the stairs to rouse the girls. Caroline was sitting on her bed just pulling on her shoes. She greeted her mother with a hug and shot down the stairs at the mention of breakfast. Miranda was infinitely grateful that she channeled a great amount of her extra energy into sports or she would positively bounce off the walls. Cassidy was a harder case to wake. Miranda sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her back until the girl opened her eyes.

"Mmm, morning mom. Breakfast ready?"

"Yes, dear heart, Andrea made French toast this morning."

"Awesome." Cassidy yawned. "I'll get dressed and be down in a minute.

Miranda stood and waited until Cassidy was actually up out of bed before leaving the room. The more subdued of her twins had a bad habit of falling right back asleep if she didn't get out of bed right after being woken up.

Miranda came back downstairs to find the table set, Cruella on her second cup of coffee which Miranda thought she rather didn't need, and Andrea plating what looked like a perfectly done omelet on a dinner plate beside a smaller plate with half a piece of French toast covered in powdered sugar. Miranda huffed at the piece of offending food, but as soon as she sat down she sliced off a bite, much to the amusement of the other three at the table. Andrea really did know her too well it seemed.

Cassidy came into the dining room a few minutes later, dressed, but still with the impression of being sleep rumpled. She sat down beside her sister where Cruella immediately handed her a cup of coffee that was more milk than anything. She really doubted her thirteen year old needed coffee, either, but she had Cruella had had this fight before and it did seem to wake Cassidy up in a timely manner. She had enough of a victory just getting Cruella to put more milk than coffee in the cup.

"So girls, do you still want to go to the art fair later?" Cruella asked, carving off a slice of French toast that was just barely small enough to fit in her mouth. The woman had been bred to have fine table manners, but at home that seemed to go all out the window.

Both twins looked up and nodded, glints of excitement in their eyes. "Yeah, I want to see if I can find something to give Fiona for her birthday that she doesn't already have," Caroline said.

"And art fairs are good place to find interesting supplies." Cassidy was practically bouncing in her seat, thought Miranda wasn't sure if that was from the excitement of prospective art supplies or the caffeine.

"Wonderful." Cruella smiled the soft smile that only her family saw. "Then we shall have a great time." She turned her gaze on Andrea and Miranda. "Would you two like to come along as well?"

Miranda glanced at Andrea. They silently communicated for just a second, checking what the other wanted before responding. Miranda wanted to spend time with the girls, but she also knew it was important for Cruella to spend time with them on her own, but the paparazzi was still crawling around them and god knew what the rather volatile woman would do about that. Miranda was still more than a little wary about her comment earlier in the day.

"I think that would be lovely," Miranda said her silent communication with Andrea finished.

The girls cheered and Cruella smiled, reaching out to take one hand of each of her lovers. "Brilliant. It will be a family outing then." Her eyes took on a mischievous look. For that alone Miranda was glad that she had agreed to come along. She would rather that Cruella not end up in jail.

They finished up their breakfast, idly chatter flowing between them easily. Miranda stood to help Andrea with the cleanup of the breakfast dishes while Cruella and twins disappeared upstairs. Miranda was unnerved at the silence as the dishwasher was loaded and the larger pans scrubbed and dried and put away. She looked over at Andrea with her eyebrow cocked. Andrea just smiled and shook her head. She walked over and pinned Miranda against the counter, hips pressing into Miranda's own rather deliciously. Miranda practically purred as plump lips found her own, kissing her until oxygen ran out. Andrea pulled back just enough to set her head in the crook of Miranda's neck. Miranda rubbed up and down the other woman's back with a gentle touch, loving the gentle shivers that her touch evoked.

"She would never get the girls in too much trouble," Andrea said, lips moving against Miranda's skin, tickling just slightly.

Miranda held back the most undignified giggle at the sensation. She sighed, Andrea was right. Cruella could do some rather unadvised things, but she did love the girls enough to check that impulse. That didn't mean that Miranda wasn't free to worry, though. "Fine, fine, but if we end up the partners of a convict and the parents of juvenile delinquents, will I really need to say I told you so?"

Andrea laughed. "You won't, but you will anyway." She stepped back and looked down at her attire. "But I need to go change because someone I know won't let me out of the house looking like this."

Miranda scoffed. "You say that like it's only me. Cruella would rather hate anyone getting to see you like this, for different reasons, but does it really matter so long as you don't leave the house like that?"

Andrea rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "It's like you think I learned nothing during my time at Runway."

Miranda ran her eyes up and down Andrea, eyes widening just slightly. "Sometimes it seems like it."

"Uh huh, like I don't know about the yoga pants you keep around for long nights."

Miranda blushed just slightly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well, I do, because your ass looks sinful in them." She fanned herself jokingly before starting to back from the room. "Just like I know you love how my legs look in these jeans."

She laughed as Miranda tried to sputter out a denial, and left the room. Miranda shook her head and chuckled to herself. She didn't know what she was going to do with that woman. A loud thump came from the upper floors and she knew Cruella and the girls were behind it. She didn't know what she was going to do with that woman either, and yet. She continued to smile as she walked across the room and gathered her computer up. She returned it to the study and climbed the stairs to their bedroom.

Andrea was slipping into another pair of jeans, allowing Miranda a rather generous view of a toned ass and thighs. Her mouth watered, but she shook herself out of it. There would time later tonight for such things. Instead she walked into their closet and picked out a pair of more practical shoes, more practical meaning a low three inch heel instead of her normal four or five. Andrea snickered at her footwear, strapping on a pair of designer running shoes for their outing instead.

"Laugh as you will, but we both know that the ass you like so much looks like it does because of heels."

Andrea stood up and stretched for a short second, shirt riding up to show just a strip of pale skin. "True, that and yoga, but they didn't hurt at all."

Another thump came from the floor above. They both looked up and then at each other. "What in the world are they doing?" Miranda asked.

"No idea. We should probably check it out before something gets broken."

Miranda agreed. They made their way to the door and to the stairs just as thundering footsteps ripped down the stairs. The twins rushed by them shouting, "Mom, Andy, come on!" Miranda waited for a few more seconds before Cruella came down the spiral staircase looking like the cat who caught the canary.

"Cruella…" Miranda trailed off in a rather threatening voice.

"It's nothing, darling." She stepped forward and drew both Andrea and Miranda into a hug for just a second before stepping back. "You'll see when we get downstairs. Are both of you ready to head to the park?"

Miranda looked at Andrea who nodded then she nodded as well.

"Excellent. Come then, we have a rather limited effective window."

Miranda wanted to put her head in her hands at those words, but then Cruella was grabbing her hand and dragging her down the stairs with a grin on her face that was rather infectious. She looked over her shoulder at Andrea following behind who just shrugged.

They reached the bottom floor where the twins were finishing up the scramble into their shoes and grabbing whatever they thought they would need. Miranda grabbed her handbag from the closet, handing Cruella her own back and Andrea the wallet she liked to take out on outings like this. She grabbed her cell phone off the hall table before she was dragged by twin sets of hands towards the door, Cruella leading the way.

The front door opened and Miranda sent up a prayer to whoever was listening. The entire front sidewalk was littered with flour and water and what looked like it might be chocolate pudding. How in the world the girls even got those things up to the top floor without her notice was beyond her. She glared over at Cruella who smiled innocently as she stepped over the remains of whatever hell they had rained on the paparazzi. And as much as Miranda hated to admit it, whatever they had done had worked rather well. There were only a few photographers left, looking rather worse for wear. Cruella's smile turned rather feral as she regarded them, still walking down the sidewalk with the twins at her side, making their way towards the park.

Andrea beside her was visibly trying not to laugh out loud at the rather drowned rat appearance of some of the photographers as they walked by. Miranda took more pleasure in their disgruntled looks. As much as she disapproved the methods her family had used, she did hate the paparazzi more.

Cruella dropped back to walk beside Miranda and Andrea as the twins shot off down the block, careful to keep within their parents' eyesight. She slipped her arm around Miranda's waist and leaned into Miranda as they kept moving. Miranda shook her head, but kissed Cruella's cheek anyway.

"You're going to turn our children into delinquents."

Cruella just laughed. "I doubt that. Besides, do you really think they wouldn't have come up with that on their own in a few weeks? They are rather bright girls after all. They take after their mother."

Miranda huffed, but her chest warmed a bit and she pulled Cruella closer to her. "Perhaps, but maybe we shouldn't quite encourage it."

"Think of it this way, they had adult supervision to make sure their tricks didn't get too far out of hand."

"Considering the tricks were yours to start with, forgive me if that doesn't inspire total confidence."

"Oh, darling, what's life without a little fun?"

"Better for my sanity," Miranda muttered as Andrea laughed.

Cruella pouted just a bit, disengaging herself from Miranda to go wrap herself around Andrea. Miranda shook her head, but watched with a smile as her two lovers walked together. They made quite a picture, really, striking exotic beauty paired with the wholesome, pretty looks of Andrea. Some days she couldn't quite believe she was theirs and they were hers. She wouldn't trade it for the world, even if pudding bombs were the price to pay.

They arrived at the park just as the fair was really starting to get into the swing of things. The twins shot off, dragging Andrea with them since she was the one that could keep up with them the easiest. They would come back for Miranda and Cruella later once they had found their favorite stalls so they could show the other women what they had found. Cruella would inevitably slip off with them later and they would all come back on a sugar high from god knew what unhealthy treat. Cruella would kiss her, still with sugar on her lips and tongue to shut up Miranda's comments on the food. Miranda would allow it, of course, if only grudgingly because her knees would be on the verge of collapse. Andrea would slip off at some point and come back with little gifts for Cruella and Miranda and a large smile on her face. Miranda might be guilty of disappearing to find an artist that could play both Andrea's favorite song and Cruella's and slipping them a rather large amount of money so they would play when she just happened to bring them all past. At some point Miranda would demand that they go get real, healthy food somewhere for lunch. The twins at that point would have worn off a great deal of energy and everyone would agree readily. Lunch would slip by in a haze of excited chatter from the twins about all they saw, supplemented by the three women. The afternoon would pass in a movie marathon. Dinner would be served, their favorite Indian take out. Night would roll around at the twins would be sent to bed and Cruella, or perhaps Andrea, or maybe even herself would coax the rest of them to bed, but there wouldn't be any rest for quite a while.

Miranda could see it all as the crowd swallowed up three of the four most important people in her life. Cruella's hand slipped into her own and she smiled at the other woman. She leaned over and kissed Cruella, not caring that they were in the middle of a crowd, not caring about anything at all, really. It may not have ever been the life that she imagined for herself years ago, but now it was the only life she wanted. She was happy as sun beat down on her and Cruella dragged her off to the first stand that she saw that caught her eyes. Miranda smiled and let herself be drug. Yes, perhaps this was the life that everyone always talked about with such awe. And even if it wasn't, well, she found she didn't care.


End file.
